Willie J Healey (born 18 May 1994) is an English singer-songwriter from Oxfordshire. He has released three studio albums – ''People and Their Dogs'' (2017), ''Twin Heavy'' (2020) and ''Bunny'' (2023).
Life
Healey was born in 1994 in
Carterton, Oxfordshire.
He went to
Carterton Community College
Carterton Community College is a coeducational secondary school located in Carterton in the English county of Oxfordshire.
It is a community school administered by Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council is the county council ...
, followed by Oxford & Cherwell Valley College, where he took a music diploma.
Healey began making music as a 13-year-old,
and is completely self-taught. Speaking about how he got into playing music, he said, "My dad and grandad both play and would always play at Christmas, and that was my main motivation to play. I wanted to play Oasis covers with them.”
Healey says he was initially planning to become a boxer.
Before getting a recording deal, he would earn money by working with his dad as a plasterer in Carterton.
Music
Healey's first album, ''People and Their Dogs'' (2017), was released on
Columbia Records, however he was subsequently dropped by the label. During August 2018 he supported Gaz Coombes on his UK tour. Healey recorded and released his second album ''Twin Heavy'' (2020) on Yala Records.
His third album ''Bunny'' was released in August 2023 and nominated for
BBC 6 Music's Album Of The Year.
The debut single off ''Bunny'', ''Thank You'', features Healey’s friend
Jamie T
Jamie Alexander Treays (born 8 January 1986), better known by his stage name Jamie T, is an English singer, songwriter, rapper, guitarist and record producer from Wimbledon, South London.
Jamie T released his debut album, '' Panic Prevention ...
. Healey claims that Jamie T lent him a drum machine during the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
lockdown, which led to the album’s more funk-based sound.
This was followed by the single ''Little Sister'' in April 2023, with future singles set to include ''Sure Feels Good'' and ''Dreams''.
In support the ''Bunny'' album, Healey supported
Florence & the Machine
Florence and the Machine (stylised as Florence + the Machine) are an English indie rock band that formed in London in 2007, consisting of lead vocalist Florence Welch, keyboardist Isabella Summers, guitarist Rob Ackroyd, harpist Tom Monger, and ...
on their arena tour of the UK and the
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are an English rock band formed in Sheffield in 2002. The group consists of Alex Turner (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Jamie Cook (guitar, keyboards), Nick O'Malley (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Matt Helders (drums, ...
on the European leg of their 2023 tour.
Healey has said that his main musical influence is
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Fur ...
.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''People and Their Dogs'' (2017)
* ''Twin Heavy'' (2020) UK 59
* ''Bunny'' (2023) UK 69
EPs
* ''HD Malibu'' (2015)
* ''Saturday Night Feeling'' (2015)
* ''Hey Big Moon'' (2016)
* ''666 Kill'' (2018)
* ''Hello Good Morning'' (2019)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Healey, Willie J.
British singers
English male singers
British indie rock musicians
1995 births
Living people